Malcolm Wellmaker: UFC went to ends of earth for opponent – and found zombie in Kris Moutinho

USA Today

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Malcolm Wellmaker: UFC went to ends of earth for opponent – and found zombie in Kris Moutinho
UFC matchmaker Sean Shelby had to travel to the ends of the Earth to find Malcolm Wellmaker an opponent, and seemingly the only man willing to step up might be part zombie.
Given that he might have otherwise been robbed of a home state fight at UFC on ESPN 69, Wellmaker (9-0 MMA, 1-0 UFC) already has a tremendous amount of respect for Kris Moutinho (14-6 MMA, 0-2 UFC) not even having stepped inside the cage with him yet.
"I already knew what kind of guy he was based off the knowledge I had about him," Wellmaker recently told MMA Junkie. "But for him to take a fight with me on 11 days' notice, obviously seeing what I did in my last fight, I can only respect him and be glad that he was willing to fight me."
The road back to the UFC for Moutinho has been one years in the making. Typecasted in MMA as a walking chin for his memorable bout vs. Sean O'Malley in July 2021, during which he absorbed 320 significant strikes, Moutinho is eager to shake the label.
Wellmaker gained respect for Moutinho for taking the fight, but there was already a high baseline given the heart he saw years ago during O'Malley's beatdown.
"I watched him fight Sean O'Malley live," Wellmaker said. "I remember thinking, 'Oh my goodness, he's got a chin on him.' It was an exciting fight, and I actually somewhat became a fan of him. I remember watching him afterward eating the ice cream sandwich seeming like a humble guy. Yeah, it was a name I was 100 percent familiar with when I got the call."
The fight turned Moutinho into a viral sensation, and he still carries a large social media following with him.
But for those in attendance at State Farm Arena on Saturday, their energy and attention will solely be focused on Wellmaker. Born, raised, and living in Augusta, Ga., the fight Saturday is a dream-come-true homecoming.
"To be honest, I'm surprised they went to the lengths they did," Wellmaker said. "As difficult as the matchmaking process was, especially with how late in the game we got down to, for them to cash in on the Kris Moutinho call, I think it says a lot. I think the thing that I've believed in myself the whole time is that I can put on a show, and I can make us all a lot of money, have some fun, and be exciting. I think that they're willing to invest in me. It's good. I like to think that I'm in good standing with those guys right now."
"That's kind of what I heard. Obviously, it was a short turnaround from Kansas City. What I assume and from what I was told, not too many people were excited to try to take that matchup with the amount of time to prepare that was available. So as time went on, I started getting more and more skeptical about the likelihood of a matchup happening. But my manager told me, 'Look, Sean (Shelby) said he's going to make it happen and I believe in him.' He did."
"To be honest, it's a super bonus for me," Wellmaker added. "Back when they came to Atlanta last time, I wasn't even involved in the sport enough to know who was even going to be fighting on the card. I didn't go. I was so new to the sport. So when I found out they were coming to Atlanta, that wasn't something that was really even on my mind. So for me to be able to get such a quick turnaround in a place so close to home that I've been many times on the regional scene with so many family members and supporters being able to come out, it's perfect – and the matchup is as exciting as it gets. Everything is just a dream come true with this card."
While it was a quick camp having just won his UFC debut by knockout April 26, Wellmaker enters the bout having prepared as a full-time fighter for the first time in his career. Following his bonus-earning win over Cameron Saaiman, Wellmaker quit his job as a pipe-fitter. He's excited for the world to see what he's capable of – even if Moutinho presents as zombie-like as possible.
"Just to be completely honest with you, I'm fairly comfortable that I'm going to knock him out," Wellmaker said. "If he goes zombie mode on me, I'm fine with that. Obviously, the pressure makes a lot of people uncomfortable. I've had tough fights in my past. I've fought zombie-style guys before. Even if I've got to strangle them out, I'll do that. Whatever it takes to win that fight and get it done within the distance, it's always my goal. I don't want to coast. I don't want to ride it to a decision. Like I said, I'm going to hit him with my best shot and we'll see how many times he can take it."